The school bus rattled down the uneven road, laughter and murmurs filling the air. Boys were play-fighting at the back, girls sat with books open or leaned close whispering secrets. A few slumped over, dozing off, heads bobbing with every bump. I sat with my two best friends, Abhilipsha Arora and Akankshya Chopra, our heads huddled together like conspirators.
We were deep in discussion about our Economics chapter—"Human Development and Welfare." Akankshya tilted her head and asked, "What exactly is development, Akio?"
Before I could answer, Abhilipsha leaned in with a scholarly glow in her eyes and replied, "Development is a process that creates growth, progress, positive change or the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social, and demographic components. It aims to improve quality of life, expand local income and job opportunities, without harming the environment." Her voice was calm, wise beyond her age, as if she had been born knowing the answers.
We were about to dive deeper when a sudden voice interrupted, slicing through the air like an unwelcome gust of wind.
"Akio!"
I turned. It was Ankrit—tall, nervous, and red as a ripe tomato. He shuffled towards me, clutching his English homework notebook. I handed mine over without a thought, but something about the way the boys behind him nudged each other and smirked put me on alert. I squinted. Was he... blushing?
The scene hit me like déjà vu. My pulse quickened. This was it. A moment I had already seen—in a dream.
I froze.
In that dream, after this moment, we would reach school. I'd go to the washroom, then help arrange students for the morning prayer assembly. Senior girls would scout for new talent to assign to the four school houses—Alpha, Bravo, Commando, Delta. The Vice Principal would arrive, followed by our Principal. Everything would feel orderly, deceptively so.
And then the twist.
We seniors would be sent to assist workers in the garden while the juniors did yoga. Ankrit would follow me to the rose garden and then—
"Don't think about it now," I whispered to myself. "Just breathe."
We arrived at school. Everything unfolded like clockwork, ticking towards inevitability. The washroom. The assembly line-up. The senior girls examining fresh faces. Vice Principal, punctual. Principal—on time, not her usual late entrance. Another shift from the dream.
I felt like a chess piece placed too early. And still, I kept walking through the paces.
Then came the school announcement: seniors to report to the ecological park.
No. Not again.
My heart began to hammer.
Mr. Anand Triwedi, our class teacher, called out team assignments. Seven per group.
My heart plummeted.
There it was—my fate sealed.
My name. No familiar girls. No Akankshya. No Abhilipsha. No Alisha.
Just me. And Ankrit. And five other boys.
"Sir..." I tried, my voice barely audible, "Can I please—"
"No changes. Get in your teams."
I swallowed my protest and forced my legs to move.
We reached the garden. The sunlight filtered through the green leaves, making the petals of the roses glow red like warning lights.
I worked quietly, pulling weeds, my ears tuned for footsteps.
"Akio," Ankrit's voice whispered behind me.
I turned, jaw set.
"I just want to talk," he said.
"I don't want to."
"Please..."
Against my better judgement, I walked a few steps with him.
He pulled something out of his bag—a necklace. Two silver hearts interlocked.
"I... I love you. This is for you."
My blood ran cold.
I took a step back. "I'm sorry. I don't feel the same. Please take it back."
He didn't. Instead, he grabbed my wrist. "Don't go."
He shoved me against the wall. I cried out.
His hand reached for my face.
"Stop it! Let me go!"
I pushed him. Slapped him. He slammed me back into the wall, gripping my wrists tightly.
"If I can't have you, no one will," he hissed. "And if you reject me, I'll tell everyone who you really are."
My eyes widened.
"You're not Akio. You're Addyanshi Rajput. And you're just a kid—still haven't even started your periods. Everyone will laugh at you."
I stared, horrified. How did he know?
"YOU SICK FREAK! Were you spying on me?!"
"No! I heard your aunt—Mrs. Singhania—talking on the phone once. That's all!"
"I'll kill you!" I screamed—
And woke up.
Still on the bus.
Everyone stared.
I had shouted it out loud.
Ar and Alisha rushed over.
"Did you see something again, sis?"
I nodded, too shaken to speak.
They knew. Abhilipsha and Akankshya knew too. Only they knew about my dream-visions of the future.
They soothed me. Held my hands.
We arrived at school. Just as in the dream. But with differences.
The Principal wasn't late.
That changed everything.
Or so I hoped.
The assembly began. My turn to read the news.
I froze.
Paper trembling in my hand.
I couldn't breathe.
Then—a soft rustle. Someone took the paper from me.
Senior Brother Yizhenxia.
He read the news flawlessly. No expression. No drama.
Gasps echoed around us.
He never got involved.
He was the school's golden boy. Pale, gold-eyed, always distant. A mystery.
He never noticed anyone. But today, he noticed me.
After assembly, the Principal directed us to the garden.
Again.
And I was again in Ankrit's team.
Again.
We were working.
He approached.
Same words.
"Come with me."
"No."
He grabbed me—
And this time, a voice rang out.
"Let her go."
Senior Brother Yizhenxia stood in front of me.
Ankrit backed away like he'd seen a ghost.
"Sen-senior brother… I didn't mean… I was just trying to—"
"Shut up."
His voice dropped an octave, icy and sharp.
"Motherfucker," he spat. "You think that's how you talk to a girl?"
He signaled his best friend Siddharth.
"Get him out of my house division. He doesn't belong."
Siddharth smirked. "Done."
"And listen carefully," Yizhenxia said, stepping close to Ankrit. "If I ever see you near her again—your life in this school is over. Understand?"
Ankrit trembled. Nodded. Fled.
I stood frozen.
Yizhenxia turned to me.
His eyes met mine for the first time.
And then, softly: "You alright?"
My voice cracked. "I think so."
"Good."
He left.
I didn't realize I'd stopped breathing until my friends rushed in and hugged me.
That day, I saw the dream change. And I knew, from that moment—fate can shift. Destiny can bend. If only the right people stand beside you at the right time.
And maybe… just maybe… he was one of them.